News


Exclusive: Greek Debt Head: New Syndication in 2026 “Most Likely”, Format TBD

Exclusive: Greek Debt Head: New Syndication in 2026 “Most Likely”, Format TBD

By Marta Vilar – MADRID (Econostream) – Greece is highly likely to conduct another syndicated bond deal in 2026, though it has not yet decided whether it would involve launching a new benchmark or reopening an existing line, according to Dimitris Tsakonas, Director General of the Greek Public Debt Management Agency (PDMA).

20 February 2026
ECB’s Lagarde: “My Baseline” Is to Finish ECB Term

ECB’s Lagarde: “My Baseline” Is to Finish ECB Term

By Marta Vilar – MADRID (Econostream) – European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said that the ECB had to consolidate all the achievements it had accomplished, adding that her “baseline” was that it would take until the end of her term.

20 February 2026
ECB’s Lagarde Warns Erosion of Global Rules Risks Costly Trade Fragmentation

ECB’s Lagarde Warns Erosion of Global Rules Risks Costly Trade Fragmentation

By David Barwick – FRANKFURT (Econostream) – European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde on Friday warned that the unraveling of the postwar international legal and economic order risked accelerating retaliation and trade fragmentation, citing estimates that severe fragmentation could cut global output by as much as 7% and by up to 12% in some countries if technological decoupling were added.

20 February 2026
ECB’s Stournaras: Next Move Slightly More Likely Down Than Up

ECB’s Stournaras: Next Move Slightly More Likely Down Than Up

By David Barwick – FRANKFURT (Econostream) – European Central Bank Governing Council member Yannis Stournaras said in a Politico interview published Thursday that inflation was set to converge to the 2% target over the medium term and that the euro area economy “remains in a good place.”

19 February 2026
ECB’s Cipollone: Digital Euro Would Bolster Payments Autonomy

ECB’s Cipollone: Digital Euro Would Bolster Payments Autonomy

By David Barwick – FRANKFURT (Econostream) – European Central Bank Executive Board member Piero Cipollone on Thursday pressed the case for a digital euro, arguing that it would preserve access to public money as payments move online and reduce reliance on non-European payment providers.

19 February 2026
Bundesbank: Euro Area Seen Growing Near Potential as Inflation Drifts Lower

Bundesbank: Euro Area Seen Growing Near Potential as Inflation Drifts Lower

By David Barwick – FRANKFURT (Econostream) – The Bundesbank said in its February monthly report published Thursday that the euro area economy was likely to expand again at a moderate pace in early 2026, with activity supported by consumption and investment even as trade headwinds and euro strength weigh on exports.

19 February 2026
ECB’s Makhlouf: Central Bank Independence Is an Anchor, Not a Shield

ECB’s Makhlouf: Central Bank Independence Is an Anchor, Not a Shield

By David Barwick – FRANKFURT (Econostream) – European Central Bank Governing Council member Gabriel Makhlouf on Wednesday defended central bank independence as essential to credible monetary policy, arguing that insulating rate decisions from short-term politics helps keep inflation expectations anchored and macroeconomic volatility contained.

18 February 2026
ECB’s Villeroy: Downside Inflation Risks Greater as Policy Must Stay “Agile”

ECB’s Villeroy: Downside Inflation Risks Greater as Policy Must Stay “Agile”

By David Barwick – FRANKFURT (Econostream) – European Central Bank (ECB) Governing Council member François Villeroy de Galhau on Wednesday argued that the ECB’s interest-rate stance was “well positioned” but should remain flexible, saying he was convinced with respect to inflation that “the downside risks are greater.”

18 February 2026